Gdansk Old Town river cruise: 50-minute electric boat tour

Fifty minutes on the water, seeing Gdansk from the river instead of the street

A 50-minute sightseeing cruise on the Motlawa River in Gdansk aboard a private electric boat with a live English or Polish guide, blanket, and life jacket included. The boat passes the medieval crane, four historic water gates, the Soldek Museum ship, and the transformed warehouses of Granary Island. An onboard mini-bar is available, and the route returns to the starting point.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sightseeing cruise on Motlawa River

• Board eco-friendly electric boat
• Relax with pillows and blankets
• Enjoy onboard mini-bar drinks
• Sail past St. Mary's Gate
• Pass Stragglers Gate and St. John's Gate
• See Holy Spirit Gate from water
• Admire the red brick Crane
• View Sołdek Museum ship
• Pass World War II Museum
• See Olowianka Footbridge
• View Granary Island warehouses
• Pass the Green Bridge
• See Polish Hook headland
• Pass Imperial Shipyard area
• Return to starting point

The Experience

The cruise departs from the Old Town and moves onto the Motlawa River aboard an eco-friendly electric boat, which means the engine is quiet and the water stays undisturbed—you hear the guide and the city around you instead of diesel noise. Comfortable seating with plush pillows and blankets is standard, and you can order a drink from the onboard mini-bar if you want one during the route.

The boat passes under the Green Bridge, an extension of the Long Market that was a drawbridge until World War II, then moves along Granary Island—a narrow strip nearly two and a half kilometers long that once held almost 360 granaries for storing grain, wood, resin and goods traded by Gdansk merchants. The warehouses there have been transformed into a modern neighborhood you see from the water. The route also includes the medieval crane, the most powerful of Gdansk's water gates, which could lift up to two tons using a mechanism of walking wheels operated by workers inside them; the s/s Soldek, the first Polish ship built after the war in the Gdansk shipyard; and the Fish Market square, where fishermen have sold their catches since the 14th century under Teutonic Knight rule.

You'll also pass St. Mary's Gate, Stragglers Gate, St. John's Gate and the Holy Spirit Gate—the four historic water gates that defended the city—as well as the Polish Hook headland where raftsmen once camped after floating grain downriver, and the Imperial Shipyard, which grew from a small repair workshop in the 19th century into a major industrial site. The guide narrates in English or Polish, and the boat returns to the starting point at the end.

What’s included

• Life jacket.
• blanket.
• live guide in English or Polish.
• onboard mini-bar access.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Boat & Bike

Is this one for you?This is a private boat tour, so you move at the guide's pace and see what the route covers without building an itinerary yourself—the 50 minutes holds the whole day together if you want a single focused look at the river side of Gdansk without the planning.

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Top questions

What is the medieval crane in Gdansk and why is it famous?

The crane was the most powerful of Gdansk's water gates, serving both defensive and port functions. After expansion in the 15th century, it was considered the largest structure of its kind in medieval Europe, with a mechanism of two pairs of large walking wheels that could lift up to two tons using pulley ropes.

How long is Granary Island and what was it used for?

Granary Island is nearly two and a half kilometers long and only 300 meters wide at its widest point. For several hundred years it served as storage for goods traded by Gdansk, holding almost 360 granaries for grain, wood, resin and other materials.

What is the Soldek ship and where is it now?

The s/s Soldek is the first Polish ship built after World War II in the Gdansk shipyard, named after a stevedore and leading worker there. It is moored at the quay of Ołowianka Island and serves as a museum; the hull shows over 300,000 rivets used to join its elements.

Will I be warm enough on a 50-minute river cruise in Gdansk?

Yes—a blanket is included with your ticket, and the boat has comfortable seating with plush pillows. An onboard mini-bar is also available if you want a warm drink during the cruise.

Is this cruise suitable for families with infants?

Yes, infants are welcome and can sit on an adult's lap during the cruise. Life jackets are provided for all passengers, and the boat is suitable for all physical fitness levels.